“Relying on empathy to motivate charity means that it is not enough that the needy are humans, but they must also be lucky … The needy must also not be repulsive, but preferably be adorable. … The Abrahamic tradition has a different approach to altruism. The New and Old Testaments largely command people who are comfortable to give to people who aren’t – unconditionally.”
Yo, What Fools These Mortals Be: When Plays Keep Reminding The Audience That They’re Plays
Sir Isaac Newton, Chris Jones observes, probably did not say “yay” – except in a new play about him now running in Chicago. “That in itself is not a new idea; playwrights have been modernizing historical subjects and simplifying conversations for generations. But in [this case and others], the anachronisms are intended to draw attention to themselves. … So what gives with this trend? To some degree it’s a consequence of the Wikipedia-ization of our culture.”
In The Age Of The Internet, Who Needs Footnotes?
“For a book to be taken seriously, does it have to take us right to the yellowing page of some crumbling edition guarded in the depths of an austere library, if the material could equally well be found through a Google search? Has an element of fetishism perhaps crept into what was once a necessary academic practice?”
Censorship! (Alas, It’s All Too Easy To Cry Foul)
“If the concept of censorship is extended to everything, it means nothing. It should not be trivialized.”
“It’s Not Literary” – Why It’s Such A Breakthrough For Alison Bechdel And Roz Chast To Be Getting Book Prizes
Alexander Chee: “‘I don’t know how to evaluate this.’ ‘Shouldn’t comics have their own category?’ ‘This isn’t literary.’ As a frequent juror on prizes, colonies and fellowships, I am, it could be said, so tired of this, that in fact, I will fight you for Roz Chast’s right to be on this list. I will fight you for the right for Bechdel to get that MacArthur.”
Philadelphia Loses 10,000 Maurice Sendak Items (Here’s What’s Really Being Lost)
“Leaders from the Rosenbach and the Free Library of Philadelphia – the two merged in 2013 – are not surprised to see the Sendak material leaving. In visits with him in his last years, Rosenbach staffers heard him talk more and more about a museum and study center devoted to his life and work.”
Why An Old(er) Lady Dances
“I may not kick or jump as high as I used to, but I am a trained dancer with body movement memory, a sense of rhythm, an ability to get every routine and never miss a beat. Besides, I have a hell of a time doing it.”
This Year’s Gramophone Classical Awards
Here are the best recordings of the year as chosen by the magazine.
Butterfly Lands On Contestant In International Flute Competition, And…
“As Ota played Pierrre Sancan’s Sonatine for the judges, a butterfly first landed in her hair and then settled on her left eyebrow as she continued to perform. Only a brief glance upward belied her complete concentration as the insect opened and closed its wings.”
Rob Ford Musical Will Go On, Cancer Or No Cancer
“The mostly sold out production of Rob Ford the Musical: Birth of a Ford Nation will open as planned Thursday night, regardless of Wednesday’s health update” that the embattled Toronto mayor has cancer. (They’ve changed the ending, though.)
Alison Bechdel’s Excellent, Wonderful Year
She got a fellowship to an artists’ retreat in Italy; the play based on her memoir Fun Home won rafts of award nominations, was a Pulitzer finalist, and became a minor cause célèbre in South Carolina; the “Bechdel test” became common currency in movie circles – and then she got a MacArthur award. (includes video)
Why You Should Read Alison Bechdel’s Old Comic Strip
“Just as Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City series wended its leisurely, funny and warm way through the evolving gay and transgender communities in San Francisco, Dykes to Watch Out For dives deep into a fictional lesbian community, considering the impact of transgender politics, marriage and even the death of independent bookstores on her characters. … Did I mention that the strip is fabulous, funny reading?”
There’s One Place Where They’re Still Buying CDs
“Around the world, the music business has shifted toward downloads and streaming. But in Japan, the compact disc is still king” – and Tower Records still has 85 stores.
Finally, Playwriting Awards Are Going To People Who Want To Write Plays (And Not Hollywood Scripts)
Charles McNulty: “Don’t look now, but a positive trend seems to be developing: A bumper crop of talented American playwrights more interested in artistic expression than commercial validation is being recognized with the most prestigious awards and lucrative fellowships available.” Exhibit A: the MacArthur Fellowship that just went to Samuel D. Hunter.
Decision On Gehry’s Eisenhower Memorial Design Put Off Again (They Couldn’t Get A Quorum)
“With only five of its 12 members in attendance, the Eisenhower Memorial Commission could not resolve a major design decision Wednesday, forcing another delay in the controversial project.”
Getty Foundation Launches Program To Fund Conservation Of Modern Architectural Landmarks
“The Getty Foundation has announced a major new conservation initiative for modern architecture, funding work on 10 landmark designs around the world including Jørn Utzon’s Sydney Opera House in Australia, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House in Chicago and the Ray and Charles Eames residence in Pacific Palisades.”
Top Posts From AJBlogs 09.17.14
Wellbeing and how to fund the arts
AJBlog: For What it’s Worth | Published 2014-09-17
Here’s What Art Museums Need: A Selfie Ban
AJBlog: Real Clear Arts | Published 2014-09-18
4X4 Baroque Music Festival: Bach’s subversive multiple messages
AJBlog: Condemned to Music | Published 2014-09-17
Who Still Buys CDs?
AJBlog: CultureCrash | Published 2014-09-17
Guggenheim Helsinki Gets 1,715 Architectural Submissions (with no assurance it can proceed)
AJBlog: CultureGrrl | Published 2014-09-17
Being Local
AJBlog: Engaging Matters | Published 2014-09-17
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An Idea To Encourage New Musicals In Chicago
“The idea behind the project is to create a seed organization that exposes new musical works to producers, directors and the public.”
Meet This Year’s MacArthur Genius Arts Recipients
There are six of them…
Amazon Becomes A Big Player In Hollywood
“Like other online video services such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crackle and YouTube, Amazon has been investing heavily in original programming to grab some business from traditional networks and cable channels.”
Last Summer’s Matisse Show Was The Tate’s Most Popular Show Of All Time. So What Makes A Popular Show?
“This summer 562,622 people visited the exhibition (exact figures of how many suggested that their children could have been responsible for them remain unclear, although it appeared to be a common enough observation).”
How Are Our Online Relationships Impacting Our Real World Interactions?
“For something so prevalent in our society, there is surprisingly little conclusive research on how social media affects our offline relationships. Yes, there have been articles proclaiming the downfall of personal relationships because of social media, but there have also been studies arguing that social networking leads to greater amounts of personal interaction.”
The World’s Art Online (And So The Museums…)
“The 15 newcomers will be joining more than 500 partners from over 60 countries who already have put online more than 6.2 million objects and artifacts. Art lovers around the world are clicking to show their appreciation. The Google Cultural Institute had more than 19 million unique visitors from June 2013 to June 2014, and they generated 200 million page views in just one year.”
Should Arts Groups That Offer Audience Participation Get Priority In Funding?
A UK parliamentary report, “called Wellbeing in Four Policy Areas, recommends that subsidy for these types of activities – such as taking part in a dance or singing workshop – should be improved as they increase wellbeing for participants.”
Chopin’s Preserved Heart Indicates What Might Have Killed Him
“Polish medical experts say that the preserved heart of 19th century composer Frederic Chopin shows signs of tuberculosis and possibly some other lung disease.”